Sideswipe: December 3: Straight humour

Someone in Customs has a good sense of humour.

Renters get the picture

"The house that my partner and I rent doesn't have a Sky dish or a UHF aerial," writes Dean Taylor. "So I asked the real estate company that acts on behalf of the landlord how we go about having a UHF aerial installed prior to the December 1 changeover. Their response was that it would be my responsibility. I was prepared to purchase the Freeview/Igloo set-top box, but to have to pay, as a renter, for an aerial/dish which is fixed to the house, seems like a cost that should reside with the owner of the property. I understand that television is a privilege and not a right, but adding value to the house by having TV available to watch, seems like going above and beyond my rental responsibilities."

School of hard cash

A reader writes: "I just heard today during a family visit that my grandson will not be getting his very well-earned graduation certificate from school ... The reason? Neither he nor his mum can afford the $120 fee charged for the graduation dinner. No payment - no graduation certificate! He is saving all his money for very expensive university next year. She is a very hard-working parent raising her two children and just can't afford this amount. I think that to be denied a graduation certificate because the family isn't well off is disgusting."

Never mind the cat, what about the kids ...

A reader writes: "Many years ago when moving into a new rental property we were asked to sign a separate 'special' contract in which we agreed to repair any damage caused to the house by our cat. We went into fits of gleeful sniggers that we had got away with only being liable for our fat lazy ginger tomcat but appeared to have escaped with no extra responsibility for damage potentially going to be caused by our four extremely adventurous 'always-pushing-the-limits' sons aged 6 and under."

Kite-surfing camera owner wanted

A reader writes: "My 10-year-old daughter found a GoPro camera in the surf at St Leonards Beach [next one down from Takapuna] on the weekend of November 23 and 24. We took it home and hooked it up to the computer and can see that it belonged to a kite-surfer and based on the last recording was lost on November 2 (been in the water over three weeks and still appears to work fine). We are keen to reunite with its owner." Email Sideswipe for further information.

Picture this: These mops look like a bitchy and aloof girl gang...

News: Researchers have developed a digital lollipop that could allow cooking show viewers to sample the dishes on screen...

Video: Barney the Dinosaur, giving children nightmares since 1997...

Video: An old episode of Love Connection where pasty Linda chooses Mark, a guy with a well groomed mullet who loves to water ski and wear cowboy boots. Watch as they take you on a wild ride while Chuck Woolery stares in disbelief....

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz.